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Manitoba
History
No. 86


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This Old
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Memorable
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Historic Sites
of Manitoba

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Anna Gibson School (77 Kelvin Street, Winnipeg)

Link to:
Principals | Vice-Principals | Teachers | Photos & Maps | Sources

Anna Gibson School commemorated Anna W. Gibson (1896-1918), the 21-year-old daughter of Winnipeg timber merchant Thomas Gibson, who taught at La Verendrye School. During the 1918-1919 flu pandemic, she volunteered to nurse flu victims at the King George Hospital, contracted flu herself, died on 23 November, and was buried in Elmwood Cemetery.

Built by day labourers in 1919, on a design by local school architect J. B. Mitchell, Anna Gibson school was situated on Kelvin Street, later renamed Henderson Highway. The one-storey, six-classroom structure accommodated students in grades 1 to 5, with those in sixth grade moving to nearby Lord Selkirk School.

Classes were held until 1937, and the building accommodated soldiers during the Second World War. In 1944, it was sold to the Mennonite Brethren Bible College, which used it to train church workers and missionaries, and was later used as a dance studio. In 1985, it was renamed the A. H. Unruh Building in commemoration of the founding President of the College.

The building was demolished during the summer of 2005. A monument stands at the site, made from bricks and dome from the original building.

Principals

Period

Principal

1920-1921

Thomas Edgar Argue (1869-1927) - acting

1921-1937

Jane Augusta Bredin Wilson (1871-1963)

Teachers

School Year

Teachers

1920-1921

?

1921-1922

V. Hefford, Z. Johnson, K. S. McLeod, C. Munshaw

1922-1923

J. Manthorne, V. McIntyre, K. S. McLeod, G. Munshaw

1923-1924

E. Buchanan, V. McIntyre, K. S. McLeod

1924-1925

J. A. Alexander, W. R. Bawden, K. S. McLeod, E. M. Moore

1925-1926

J. A. Alexander, W. R. Bawden, K. S. McLeod, E. M. Moore

1926-1927

J. A. Alexander, W. R. Bawden, K. S. McLeod, E. M. Moore

1927-1928

J. A. Alexander, W. R. Bawden, K. S. McLeod, E. M. Moore

1928-1929

J. A. Alexander, W. R. Bawden, K. S. McLeod, E. M. Moore, M. Pennefather

1929-1930

J. A. Alexander, W. R. Bawden, E. M. Moore, N. M. Wemyss, Rutha Wilson

1930-1931

W. R. Bawden, L. M. Burt, N. M. Wemyss, R. Wilson

1931-1932

W. R. Bawden, S. Silver, N. M. Wemyss, R. Wilson

1932-1933

W. R. Bawden, S. Silver, N. M. Wemyss

1933-1934

W. R. Bawden, G. B. McInnes, N. M. Wemyss

1934-1935

W. R. Bawden, G. B. McInnes, S. Silver

1935-1936

W. R. Bawden, G. B. McInnes

1936-1937

G. B. McInnes

Photos & Maps

Anna Gibson School

Anna Gibson School (1919)
Source: Winnipeg School Board, Annual Report 1919, Legislative Library of Manitoba.

Anna Gibson School

Anna Gibson School Monument (February 2015)
Source: Nathan Kramer

Site Location (lat/long): N49.91025, W97.11757
denoted by symbol on the map above

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Children’s Home of Winnipeg / Children’s Home School / Julia Clark School (615 Academy Road, Winnipeg)

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Martin School No. 870 (Kelvin Avenue, Winnipeg)

Sources:

Death registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Schools will not open until Monday,” Manitoba Free Press, 26 November 1918, page 5.

“Winnipeg schools, No. 36—Anna Gibson,” Manitoba Free Press, 27 November 1922, page 7.

“Historic Anna Gibson School / A. H. Unruh Building slated for destruction,” Mennonite Historian, 31(2):5, June 2005.

We thank Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 19 August 2015

Historic Sites of Manitoba

This is a collection of historic sites in Manitoba compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society.

Browse lists of:
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Please note that inclusion in this collection does not mean that a particular site has special status or protection. Some sites are on private property and permission must be secured from the owner prior to visiting.

Site information is provided by the Manitoba Historical Society as a free public service only for non-commercial purposes.

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